The Government is planning
to set up a separate brand equity fund for the electronics and IT industry
sector in order to help "brand building". The proposal was mooted at the
third meeting of the Development Council for Electronics Industry (DCEI)
held here recently.

The Secretary, Department of Electronics and Chairman
of the DCEI Shri Ravindra Gupta told the meeting that the Electronics Industry
will have to undertake initiatives in "brand building" to have enhanced
presence in the global market. He said that for this, major product promotional
efforts will be needed such as, undertaking participation in international
fairs, conducting seminars and creating web sites, etc. The established
"branded products" would need to be aggressively marketed in the international
arena, he said. And for this, a need for a separate Brand equity Fund for
IT and electronics industry is greatly felt, he averred.

The DCEI has recommended the setting up of about
a one hundred crore rupee brand equity fund for this to start with. The
participation of some of the leading financial institutions is being explored.
However, the Planning Commission is being requested to earmark funds for
the programme.

Shri Ravindra Gupta told the Council that IT enabled
services and Electronics  Commerce provide tremendous opportunities for
the Indian Software Industry. But to build the necessary business confidence,
a regulatory framework should be put in place expeditiously. He expressed
the hope that the Information Technology Bill, awaiting governments nod
would soon be cleared.

'31'

USAID ASSISTANCE OF US$ 41.5 MILLION FOR STD/HIV
CONTAINMENT PROJECT IN MAHARASHTRA

An agreement was signed
today between the Government of India and US for USAID assistance of US$
41.5 million for implementing a project relating to containment of STD/HIV
and related infectious diseases (AVERT) by the Government of Maharashtra.
The agreement was signed by Shri R.S. Sharma, Joint Secretary, Department
of Economic Affairs in the Ministry of Finance and Ms. Linda Morse, Mission
Directo, USAID, New Delhi.

USAID assistance would be utilised for expanding
programmes aimed at preventing HIV transmission and mitigating the impact
of STD/HIV/AIDS by supporting focussed prevention programme in Maharashtra
where the epidemic is grave and needs to be arrested on top priority basis.
The AVERT project is a seven year programme to be implemented by National
AIDS Control Organisation(NACO) in collaboration with the Government of
Maharashtra.

'30'

INTERNATIONAL OZONE DAY TO BE CELEBRATED TOMORROW

The International Ozone
Day will be celebrated tomorrow. The Development Commissioner, Small Scale
Industries, Ministry of Industry, Government of India, will be the Chief
Guest at the function here tomorrow. Professor R.C. Agarwal, Department
of Mechanical Engineering, I.I.T., Delhi will deliver the Keynote address.
The Special Secretary in the Ministry of Environment and Forests, Shri
Vinod Vaish will preside over the function.

The International Ozone Day tries to raise awareness
about the need to protect the earths ozone layer. The ozone layer absorbs
most of the harmful Ultraviolet  B (UV-B) radiation from the sun. It also
completely screens out lethal Ultraviolet -C radiation. The ozone shield
is thus essential to life, as we know it. Depleting the ozone layer allows
more UV-B to reach the earth. More UV-B means more melanoma and non-melanoma
skin cancers, eye cataracts, weakened immune systems, reduced plant yields,
damage to ocean Eco-systems and reduced fishing yields, adverse effects
on animals and more damage to plastics.

Ozone molecules consist of 3 oxygen atoms. The ozone
gas, which is poisonous, is extremely rare in the atmosphere representing
just three out of every 10 million molecules. Ninety percent of ozone exists
in the upper atmosphere or stratosphere between 10 and 50 kilometers above
the earth. Ozone at ground level is a harmful pollutant resulting from
automobiles exhausts and other sources.

The Governing Council of the United Nations Environment
Programme (UNEP) first discussed the issue of ozone depletion in 1976.
The inter-governmental negotiations for an international agreement to phase
out ozone depletion substances started in 1981 and ended with the adoption
of the Vienna Convention for the protection of the ozone layer in 1985.
This convention encourages international cooperation to research, monitor
CFC production and exchange information.

The Montreal Protocol on substances that deplete
the ozone layer was adopted in 1987. This followed the discovery of the
Antarctic ozone hole in late 1985. The Protocol was designed so that phase
out schedules can be revised on the basis of periodic scientific and technological
assessments. Following these assessments the Protocol was adjusted to accelerate
the phase out schedule in London in 1990, Copenhagen in 1992, Vienna in
1995 and Montreal in 1997.

Reduce methyl bromide by 25% by 1999, 50% by 2001, 70% by 2003 and phase
out by 2005; and

Reduce HCFCs by 35% by 2004, 65% by 2010, 100% by 2015 and phase out by
2020 (although 0.5% is permitted for maintenance purposes until 2030)

Developing countries have a grace period before they
start their phase out schedules.

Phase out HBFCs by 1996

Freeze CFCs, Halons and carbon tetrachloride at average 1995-97 levels
by 1st July 1999 reduce by 50% by 2005, 85% by 2007 and phase
out completely by 2010;

Freeze methyl chloroform by 2003 at average 1998-2000 levels, reduce by
30% by 2005, 70% by 2010 and phase out by 2015;

Freeze methyl bromide by 2002 at average 1995-98 levels, reduce by 20%
by 2005 and phase out by 2015; and

Freeze HCFCs by 2016 at 2015 levels and phase out by 2040.

Without the Protocol by the year 2050 ozone depletion
would have risen to at least 50 percent in the Northern hemispheres mid-latitudes
and 70 percent in the southern mid-latitudes about 10 times worse than
current levels. In 1986 total consumption of CFCs worldwide was about 1.1.
million tonnes. By 1997 this had come down to about 1,46,000 tonnes.

7

LAW COMMISSION TAKES UP PROPERTY RIGHTS OF HINDU
WOMEN

The 15th Law
Commission of India, headed by Shri Justice B.P. Jeevan Reddy, has taken
up a study of certain important provisions regarding the property rights
of Hindu women under the Hindu Succession Act ,1956 or the old Hindu Law.
A questionnaire to this effect already circulated to all concerned throughout
the country and their well considered views have been received.

The study by the Law Commission is intended to bring
about amendment in the Hindu Succession Act in order to provide Hindu women
especially the daughters right to ancestral or inherited property. This
is also intended to remove the gender discrimination in Mitakshara coparcenary
by the inclusion of daughters. This is also intended to favour an inheritance
certificate on the death of an individual by all heirs compulsorily which
will indicate their shares and will be regarded as a proof of their right
in the property or properties . Such documents would be necessary for mutation
in revenue, municipal and other records.

There are two schools of Hindu Law namely Mitakshara
and Dayabhaga. Dayabhaga Law prevails in Bengal, Assam and most parts of
Orissa and Mitakshara prevails in the rest of India. In Kerala and parts
of Karnataka, Mitakshara law prevails. Under the Mitakshara Law, a son,
sons son and sons sons son have a right by birth in the ancestral properties
in the hands of the father and their interest is equal to that of the father.
The group having this right by birth is termed a coparcenary and coparcenary,
therefore, is confined to male members of the joint family. By traditional
definition, the ancestral properties are those properties obtained from
father or paternal grandfather or paternal great-grandfather or share obtained
on partition or self-acquired properties or separate properties of an individual
thrown into the joint family properties.

Under the Indian Succession Act, 1925, which is also
applicable to Hindus, both men and women have unrestricted right of testamentary
disposition while the Muslim Law restricts the said right to only 1/3rd
of the estate after deduction of funeral expenses and debts. Partial restriction
on the power of testamentary disposition is also common among a number
of European inheritance systems to prevent the legal heirs from being excluded
totally.

The Law Commission has been entrusted with the task
of revising the Central Acts to simplify them and to remove anomalies,
ambiguities and inequities . It is in this context that the Commission
has taken up a study of certain important provisions regarding the property
rights of Hindu women in order to dispense gender justice.

'31'

APPEAL BY UNION HEALTH MINISTER FOR BLOOD DONATION

The Union Minister of State
for Health and Family Welfare, Dr. A.K. Patel has appealed to the citizens
to come forward to donate blood at any blood bank in Government hospitals
and those run by Indian Red Cross Society following reports of shortage
of blood in blood banks. Blood is one of the most precious components of
the human body that can not be manufactured or artificially produced. It
must be donated by healthy individuals, the Minister said.

23

ENGINEERS ASSOCIATION OF INDIAN RAILWAYS CELEBRATES
ENGINEERS DAY

The Engineers Association
of Indian Railways today celebrated the Engineers Day, the Birth Anniversary
of Dr.M.Vishveshwariah, an eminent engineer of India. On the occasion ,
the Association organised a Seminar on "Rail Engineers  Challenges of
21st Century", in which the experts from all over the country
participated. Inaugurating the Seminar, the Railway Board Chairman Shri
V.K.Agarwal said that the greatest challenge before the engineers today
is to maximise productivity of our scare resources and develop in the public,
a feeling of confidence that the Indian Railways is a safe and reliable
transport system. The recent accident of Gaisal on the Northeast Frontier
Railways and some others have shaken the confidence of the travelling publilc.
He appealed that the spirit of dedication for which all Railwaymen are
famous, needs to be revived and the organisation should strengthen its
technical inputs.

The ex-Chairman, Railway Board, Shri Y,.P.Anand,
General Manager, Northern Railways, Shri S.P.Mehta also spoke on the occasion
and highlighted the contribution of Dr.Vishveshwariah, for the nation.
The young engineers shoulde inculcate the same spirit and dedication and
work for the development of the country, they hoped.

'15'

GOLD DEPOSIT SCHEME 1999 NOTIFIED

The Government has notified
the Gold Deposit Scheme 1999 to help bring privately held stock of gold
in circulation, reduce the country's reliance on import of gold and providing
its owners with some income apart from freeing them from the problems of
storage, movement and security of gold in their possession. According to
the notification issued by the Ministry of Finance, the Gold Deposit Scheme
will come into effect immediately. The Scheme was announced by the Union
Finance Minister, Shri Yashwant Sinha while presenting the Budget 1999-2000
in the Parliament.

The provisions of the Scheme include:

All designated banks may operate the Scheme after getting the operational
details approved by the Reserve Bank.

The Gold shall be tendered by a Subscriber in the form of Bars, Coins and
Gold Jewellery.

Every subscriber desirous of making subscription of Gold under the Scheme
shall apply to a designated bank in such form as may be prescribed by the
said bank.

After the Gold has been assayed, the designated bank shall accept the gold
and at the option of the subscriber shall issue (a) a Gold Certificate
or (b) a Statement of Account or (c) a Passbook to the Subscriber.

Premature payment, either in the form of Gold or in Cash equivalent to
the price of Gold on the date of encashment shall be allowed after initial
lock in period.

The Gold Certificate shall be repaid in Gold. Such repayment may also be
made in rupee equivalent to the price of Gold as on the date of maturity
at the option of the subscriber. The option in this regard will have to
be exercised in the manner prescribed by the designated bank.

The designated bank shall pay interest at such rate and at such intervals
as it may decide subject however, to the interest rate directive on Gold
Deposit, issued by Reserve Bank.

The nomination facility shall be available on the lines of usual rupee
deposit scheme prevalent in banks.

The Gold Certificate shall be transferable by endorsement and delivery.